Creative Arts - Monday

We have the best readers. Know why? Because they are constantly feeding me cool stuff to add to this site. I love getting emails from other proud mamas (and daddys!) who have discovered wonderful play sites chuck full of great activities. Also very cool is when another mom who happens to also know me in real life drops by a stack of amazing books full of learning games for toddlers! A HUGE thanks and hats tipped to J.M.

I have been devouring these books ever since they came into my possession, and I hope everyone is feeling like a little music today, because that is where this creative arts Monday takes us! Love the ideas that come from The Toddler's Busy Book series? If you don't have a fabulous friend in your life to gift you the books (seriously, how lucky am I?) they are completely worth picking up via Amazon.

Today we are MAKING instruments and then, of course, making a lot of noise with them. 

Music

PBS SKill Targeted:

• Can compare and contrast sounds made by different instruments (e.g., says, "The triangle makes a tingly sound when you hit it.").
•  Plays with a variety of musical instruments, often in a unique way (e.g., may shake an instrument that is typically pounded).

Activity:
Button Tap

Materials

*If your laundry room looks like mine & has a bin with assorted lost buttons, single socks and single knit gloves leftover from winter this activity is also an excellent recycled junk buster! 

Buttons

Glove

Thread & Needle OR Hot Glue


Directions: 
Take a knit glove and sew buttons onto the bottom of the finger tips. ***Or if you are totally lazy (see ME) you can hot glue them! then turn a few pots upside down and show your child how to drum out different rhythms on them using their fingers. ***This also boosts dexterity and coordination for little hands

Music

PBS SKill Targeted:

• Can compare and contrast sounds made by different instruments (e.g., says, "The triangle makes a tingly sound when you hit it.").
•  Plays with a variety of musical instruments, often in a unique way (e.g., may shake an instrument that is typically pounded).

Activity:
Simple Shaker

Materials:
Tupperware, small bottles or jars, empty film canisters, spice jars etc.
dried beans, popcorn kernels, small rocks, dried noodles, marbles, paper clips, pennies (anything you have in your cupboards that will rattle)

Directions:
Fill up your container with your desired shaking material (beans etc.) Seal the lid tight and then get to shaking. Point out the ways that different shakers might sound, and get some extra movement out of this activity by shaking your instruments creatively (shake' em high, shake 'em low, shake 'em behind your back, shake 'em with your eyes closed). You can also explore different rhythms.

Music

PBS Skill Targeted:

• Can compare and contrast sounds made by different instruments (e.g., says, "The triangle makes a tingly sound when you hit it.").
•  Plays with a variety of musical instruments, often in a unique way (e.g., may shake an instrument that is typically pounded).

Activity:


Tiny Tambourine

Materials:
2 small aluminium tart or pie pans
dried beans, pennies, corn, etc.
tape


Directions:
 Fill one pie pan with your shaking materials, inert the other pie pan and place on top. Tape the pie pans together so they stay sealed, you now have a homemade tambourine. Cha, Cha, Cha!